While shipping several packages of Red Books to customers, I was thinking about the number of people who buy these and other guides. With the state of the industry changing from an IRL (in real life) experience to one more online, I wonder how many people are still using printed guides.
As I thought about doing this as a poll, I started gathering some of the resources that could be considered. That is when I realized that on my overflowing bookshelf I have many of these publications! I never thought I had an extensive numismatic library but the numismatic books outnumber my tech books. Now that I am retired from the tech industry, it might be time to let the tech books go, especially the out of date books.
This list serves two purposes. One is to list the general resources for numismatic pricing of mainly coins and currency. The other purpose is to provide a list of resources that others can use to build their own library. It also will serve as the categories I will use for the poll, below.
Here are is a list of pricing references that I either own or found online:
Annual books for United States coins
- A Guide Book of United States Coins, the Red Book
- Handbook of United States Coins, the Blue Book
- U.S. Coin Digest
- North American Coins & Prices
Annual books for foreign coins
- Standard Catalog of World Coins
- Lighthouse Euro Catalog For Coins and Banknotes
- A Guide Book of Canadian Coins
- Charlton Standard Catalog of Canadian Coins (Vol 1 and Vol 2)
Periodical Pricing Guides
- Coin Dealer Newsletter
- NumisMedia Weekly Market Price Guide
United States Currency Guide Books
- The Official Red Book: A Guide Book of United States Paper Money
- Standard Catalog of United States Paper Money
Foreign Currency Guide Books
- The Banknote Book (see banknotenews.com)
- Standard Catalog of World Paper Money
- Charlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Government Paper Money
Online Guides
- Coin Dealer Newsletter (CDN; Greysheet)
- Canadian Coin Prices
- CDN Currency Price Guide
- NGC Price Guide
- Numismedia Fair Market Value Price Guide
- PCGS Price Guide
- Don and Vic’s World Banknote Gallery
NGC World Price Guide; Look under “Resources” menu item to find World price guides
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Scott
I collect US currency. I don’t buy much. When I do, I use periodical guides or the CDN App on my phone. They are easy to carry. If it is an online auction, I have books at home I could look at.
In US Currency, it can be tricky if you are buying National Bank Notes or, especially, Obsolete Notes. There is a huge amount available and the best price guides are big and heavy.
It is rare, but sometimes notes surface that aren’t in the guides. I bought a Baltimore Obsolete Note last Friday at the Whitman show for $40. I went to Whitman’s sales area and looked in the Whitman volume that has Maryland. It’s not exactly like anything there. There is one that it is 90% like, but I see 4 differences. Whitman’s book says this firm’s notes were counterfeited but I need to do some research in Baltimore to be certain of its origins. It is the strangest note I have ever bought. I was wishing you were there for some advice. Q. David Bowers had left.
Sincerely
Bob